Day 9 - Doing the Trebble

Last night we got a great view of the milky way - the stars were simply brilliant! The next morning it was back to a blanket of cloud however. So it was a leisurely start to the day -breakfast, laundary and booking accommodation at Fox's Glacier. Then it was off to Trebble Cone Ski area to see if any flying was in the offing...

Once again the skies were clearing out. A short trip took us to the entrance to the Trebble Cone ski area where we met a local pilot waiting on a lift to the top. He let us know that Richard from Wanaka Paragliding would be along at around 1pm and offerred lifts up to pilots for a small consideration. So, watching a few french pilots already flying up to cloud base (a few hundred ft above launch - not that high!) and around the waterfalls, we waited, took photos and Carolyn did a Suduko.

Richard arrived, and we loaded up our gliders on his van roof. A couple of other pilots had also arrived for the lift up as well. We were soon at launch which was a little way down from the Ski centre at a point called Pub Corner. Yet another stunning site to fly. 4-5kms of mountain fronting the valley to the north and good XC potential along and in out in the valley (just beware the helicopter operation immediately - well - below launch!)

We let the tandems off and got familiar with launch (fly off both sides of the little spine...) then forward launched off to play with small thermals wisping up the mountain side. A little bumpy near cloudbase but really it was good flying (if not quite as easy as yesterday). I flew along to the west end to get a better view of a glacier coming off the high mountain at the end (Rob Roy Glacier) then tried to go to the east end. Carolyn was low struggling to get back up and had to land. I flew above, flying over a couple of impressive water falls. Despite working a good thermal here it wasn't to be. Sink followed by weakening climbs put me down and I landed out at the LZ next to vans with everyone else. Apparently days at Trebble Cone are often like this - weakening as the day progresses and the mountain side gets less sun (and no headed valley wind for the evening).

A good afternoon's flying - but we needed to get on. A long drive up route 6 to Fox Glacier awaited us. We did make a few stops to take in views on the way though. Lake Hawea is spectacular reflecting the mountins that surround it, and then through the Haast Pass there are lots of waterfalls (which have a lot of water just now!). The road comes out to the Tasman Sea coast at Haast; the landscape has changed to knarled coastal vegetation, cleared wet plains, and temperate rain forest as progress to Fox Glacier.